2,2-Dimethylvaleric acid for growth enhancement of sugarcane

ABSTRACT

Treatment of sugarcane with 2,2-Dimethylvaleric acid enhances growth.

This invention is directed to applying 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid tosugarcane, thereby to cause growth enhancement in the sugarcane.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,503 shows the use of n-valeric acid to increasesucrose yield in sugarcane a few weeks prior to harvest. So far as isknown, however, n-valeric acid causes little or no growth enhancement.Tests with various other valeric acid homologs, salts, and derivativesalso show little or no growth enhancement, e.g., with sodium valerate,ammonium valerate, and ethylvaleric acid. The latter actually causesgrowth reduction. It is not possible to predict whether a given valericacid derivative will cause growth enhancement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention the desired objectives have beenachieved by the application of a growth-enhancing composition comprising2,2-dimethylvaleric acid. More specifically, an excellent increase ingrowth has been obtained by applying a spray or dust comprising saidmaterial to sugarcane stalks and leaves in a crop which is 1-36 monthsold. The composition is applied directly to the stalks and leaves, byspraying, dusting or the like in order that it be deposited on thestalks and leaves including the younger, growing parts thereof.Experimentally, it can be applied by injection into the spindle.

As is well known, the normal maturation cycle of sugarcane can varyconsiderably depending on local conditions, from less than 1 year to 3years or more. For instance, under conditions such as those prevailingin Hawaii sugarcane is normally ripe for harvesting when about 18 to 36months of age while in other areas of the world sugarcane can be only 9to 12 months of age when harvested.

The preferred usage form is a mixture containing 2,2-dimethylvalericacid in an aqueous solution or suspension utilizing one or a combinationof known surface active agents commonly and variously used in the priorart as wetting agents, detergents or emulsifying agents.

In accordance with this invention, a sugarcane crop which is nearingnormal growth reduction due to temperature is treated with2,2-dimethylvaleric acid as herein defined or with a compositioncontaining same.

Good results are obtained when the sugarcane crop is treated at a ratein the range of from 1 to 10 pounds of a 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid(active ingredient, ai, or A.I.) or equivalent A.I.-containingcomposition per acre of sugarcane. However, higher rates (e.g., up toabout 30 pounds of A.I or more per acre) or rates lower than 1 pound peracre can also be used. The optimum amount will vary somewhat dependingon the particular mode of application, environmental conditions, time ofyear, and age and variety of cane being treated, but can readily bedetermined for each particular case by preliminary testing. Applicationis generally made to plants 1 to 36 months old.

The A.I. is conveniently applied in the field in the form of an aqueoussolution, emulsion or suspension, i.e., in a liquid composition whichmay be sprayed onto the maturing cane plants from a boom-sprayer, or anairplane, or it can be dusted on from an airplane or tha like as a dustcomposition which contains the active compound diluted with an inertsolid such as clay.

In preparing suitable liquid composition, surface active agents of thetype described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,865, column 2,lines 61-66 or in U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,775, column 2, lines 57-64 areconvenient to use. The preferred surfactants for use in liquidcompositions of the present invention are those of the non-ionic type,e.g., alkyl phenoxy poly(ethyleneoxy)ethanols such as adducts ofnonylphenol and ethylene oxide; trimethyl nonyl polyethylene glycolethers; polyethylene oxide adducts of fatty and resin acids, and longchain alkyl mercaptan adducts with ethylene oxide. The surfactant(surface active agent) is not critical.

With the type of spray apparatus used in this work, it has been foundconvenient to apply the A.I. to the sugarcane field in the form of anaqueous solution, suspension or emulsion having a concentration of A.I.such that the application at the rate of from 1 to 60 gallons of liquidcomposition per acre will provide the required dosage of A.I. However,the use of lower or higher gallonages may be preferred when a differentdispensing mechanism is used.

The preferred carrier for the A.I. is water to which about 0.1 to 2percent by weight of surface active agent has been added. However,instead of using water as the carrier, non-phytotoxic mineral oilseither as such or in the form of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsionsmay be used similarly in accordance with practices which are otherwisewell known in the art of treating vegetation in the field withbeneficial growth control agents. Excellent results are obtained whenthe A.I. is present as essentially the sole active ingredient in thetreating composition, but it may also be applied in combination withother sugarcane treating materials.

A preferred composition consists essentially of

(a) 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid, about 0.6 to 50 wt. %

(b) about 0.1 to 2 wt. % of a nonionic surface active agent, and

(c) balance, water, to make 100%.

Testing Procedure

A moving belt spray chamber in a greenhouse was calibrated to deliver 30gal. of spray/acre. 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid was weighed out to giverate equivalents of 1, 10, and 100 mg/plant. These rates correspond toapproximately 4 lbs./acre, 0.4 lbs./acre and 0.04 lbs./acre. These ratesare all expressed in terms of active ingredient.

Plants were treated in groups of three. Individual plants were orientedsuch that the leaves were parallel to the belt and thus all foliage wasexposed to the spray mist in a uniform manner. The three individualplants previously selected for uniformity were placed on an aluminumpanel so that all three plants moved through the spray as a single unit.The belt speed was calibrated at 3 mph with the spray nozzle sprayingperpendicular to the belt and at 90° to the direction of travel.

The plants, after being sprayed, were placed in a pattern on thegreenhouse floor with no contact between plants. After the plants weredry they were grouped on the greenhouse table. There was foliage contactbetween plants treated with the three rates of the test compound.Watering of the treated plants was effected so that there was minimalre-wetting of the sprayed foliage.

Measurements were made immediately after the plants were placed on thetable by laying a pot label across the top of the pot and measuring fromit to the first visible dewlap. Measurements were made at 0 time, 1 and2 weeks after treatment. Data are presented showing growth for one weekand two weeks.

The averages of the three measurements in Table 1 were divided by thecorresponding control average to give the T/C Ratios. It will be notedthat the additive gave increased growth, as compared to the controlgroup, in all six instances.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Evaluation of 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid,                                       applied as spray, on growth rate of 2-month                                   old setts of sugarcane variety CL-41-233.                                     (average of 3 replications)                                                                R/C Ratios*, Avg.                                                             growth rate/day                                                  Rate, conc. ppm                                                                              1 wk.        2 wks.                                            ______________________________________                                        3.3            3.045        1.808                                             33.3           4.074        1.476                                             333.0          1.445        1.046                                             ______________________________________                                         *T/C Ratios = growth/daytreated/growth/day-check (untreated).            

The summary of growth enhancement effects obtained from applications of2,2-dimethylvaleric acid at two sites in Florida are shown in Table 2.All three applications of 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid caused growthenhancement over untreated tissue. Comparison of 2,2-dimethylvalericacid with a long known growth enhancing material, Gibberellic acid,showed 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid to have approximately 1/8 as muchactivity.

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Summary of growth enhancement effects obtained                                from applications of the following treatments                                 made into the spindles of individual sugarcane                                plants (var. CL-41-223), application made using                               3 ml total solution.                                                                         Site I    Site II                                                                   Avg     % of  Avg   % of                                            Rate      Cm      un-   Cm    un-                                  Treatment  mg/plant  growth  treated                                                                             growth                                                                              treated                              ______________________________________                                        Gibberellic                                                                   acid       1.0       16.05   730   19.28 3012                                            0.1       6.25    284   9.88  1544                                            0.01      13.00   591   12.92 2019                                 Round-up   1.0       -0.18    0    0.16   25                                  Gibberellic                                                                   acid + Roundup                                                                           0.01 + 1.0                                                                              -0.18    0    0.38   59                                             0.1 + 1.0 -1.09    0    7.50  1172                                            1.0 + 1.0 0.55     25   6.84  1013                                 2,2-Dimethyl-                                                                 valeric acid                                                                             0.01      --      --    2.56   400                                            0.1       --      --    1.56   244                                            1.0       --      --    1.46   228                                 Untreated  0         2.20    100   0.64   100                                 ______________________________________                                    

The average of three measurements obtained from foliar sprayapplications of sugarcane treated with 2,2dimethylvaleric acid are shownin Table 3. A five fold increase was obtained over the untreated plantsand 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid in combination with the growth regulatorGlyphosate (isopropyl-amine salt of n-phosphonomethylglycine) showed athree fold increase over untreated tissue. This Glyphosate growthincrease in combination with the growth regulator Glyphosate wasespecially interesting and totally unexpected. Growth enhancement by2,2-dimethylvaleric acid following Glyphosate treatment was more thantwice that obtained with the Gibberellic acid Glyphosate treatment. Inthe table, "ai/A" means active ingredient per acre.

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        Summary of growth enhancement effects obtained from                           the following treatments made by foliar spray application                     to sugarcane plants (var. CL-41-223). Application                             made using 60 gpa.                                                                           Site I    Site II                                                                   Avg     % of  Avg   % of                                            Rate      Cm      un-   Cm    un-                                  Treatment  lbs ai/A  growth  treated                                                                             growth                                                                              treated                              ______________________________________                                        Gibberellic                                                                   acid       0.12      5.53    251   8.74  1366                                 Gibberellic                                                                   acid + Roundup                                                                           0.12      2.42    110   0.73  114                                             0.5                                                                2,2-Dimethyl-                                                                 valeric acid                                                                             4.0 8ppm  --      --    3.30  516                                  2,2-Dimethyl-                                                                            4.0       --      --    2.05  320                                  valeric acid +                                                                Roundup    0.5                                                                Roundup    0.5       0.64     29   0.15   23                                  Untreated  0         2.20    100   0.64  100                                  ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A process for enhancing growth in sugarcane plants whichcomprises applying to the plant, 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid at a dosagerate per acre of 1 to 10 lbs.
 2. A process according to claim 1 whereinthe 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid is sprayed onto the cane plants as a liquidcomposition containing water as a carrier.
 3. A process according toclaim 2 wherein the aqueous composition contains a surface active agent.4. A process according to claim 2 wherein the 2,2-dimethylvaleric acidis applied to the cane plants as an aqueous solution or suspension atthe rate of about 1 to 60 gallons of aqueous composition per acre.
 5. Aprocess according to claim 4 wherein the cane plants are between 1 and36 months of age when the 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid is applied.
 6. Aprocess according to claim 5 wherein the aqueous composition containsabout 0.6 to 50 percent weight of 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid.
 7. Methodaccording to claim 1, in which the 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid applicationfollows a prior application of a growth regulating amount of theisopropyl amine salt of n-phosphonomethylglycine, whereby the2,2-dimethylvaleric acid reduces the growth-stopping effect of the saidisopropylamine salt.
 8. Sugarcane treating composition consistingessentially of(a) 2,2-dimethylvaleric acid, about 1 to 50 wt %; (b)about 0.1 to 2 wt. % of a nonionic surface active agent, and (c)balance, water, to make 100%.